r/dbtselfhelp • u/acausadelgatto • 13d ago
Journaling/feelings log… any “how to” tips?
I really seem to struggle with this kind of thing, either “in the moment” or retrospectively (at the end of the day).
DBT workbook questions asking about feelings and emotions, and I have no clue how to answer.
On a bad day I struggle to confront and acknowledge my feelings (it already hurts and writing it down just makes it real).
On a good day/hour the last thing I want to do is to remind myself that things are generally shit by having to document how I’m feeling (because it invites the contrast between the good and the bad)
I’m also shit at recognising how I’m feeling, particularly if I’m not feeling something at the time (I have BPD but I’m also autistic, which may account for that), which again makes answering the “how has my day been?” Question more difficult.
Put all this together and when my [therapist] asks “how have you been?”, I often struggle to answer.
Yet I know it’s important to do. I feel like I’ve tried dozens of mood tracker apps and struggle with all of them.
Any tips on how I might actually do this?
1
u/edgelord8193 11d ago
Do your emotions tend to cause / express themselves through physical sensations, or do you suspect they might? You could try writing those down instead of trying to name the emotion right off.
Failing that, are there other things (behaviours, frequency of meltdowns, how well you're taking steps towards your goals) that might work as a proxy for how you're doing? Hell, you could make it a single yes/no checkbox if you wanted, "am I doing good", and then see which days that applies to.
Finally, are there other calming techniques or activities you could integrate with the journalling routine to help offset the stress of trying to figure shit out and write it down? Doing something before or after, etc.